But it was impossible to tell how serious these offences were due to the lack of meaningful records.

As a result, Mr Denton suspended the operator’s licence held by owner George Bell for 14 days from January 1.

Mr Bell’s main business is running school transport for pupils.

The report revealed that George and Susan Bell were driving vehicles but not keeping proper records of the work they were carrying out.

In a written decision issued after a public inquiry in Eastbourne, the Traffic Commissioner noted: ‘Mr Bell clearly failed to make or keep anything like adequate records of the time he spent on UK rules driving and other work and failed to ensure that Mrs Bell and one other driver did so either.’

Mr Bell, who is also named as transport manager, will have to attend a two-day CPC refresher course by the end of March.